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Once upon a time, I had a genius idea to add seasoned hamburger meat to our Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. This magically and beautifully turned into Simple Cheeseburger Mac in the Instant Pot. And once again, dinner is saved!

Open the pot and stir in the cream and cheese until melted and creamy.

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This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and it is a huge hit with the family! Any time I can make pasta without actually boiling pasta is a win in my book. Fewer dirty dishes, less time in the kitchen, and a delicious meal too!

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I’ve shared it before (more than a few times), but I find that I must share it again. Everyone should know about this one simple trick that helps get dinner on the table fast!

My Simple Trick that Helps Get Dinner on the Table Fast!

It’s simply this:

Brown several pounds of hamburger meat ahead of time. Store it in your fridge or freezer in meal-sized packages. This is a beautiful thing!

It doesn’t take very long to cook hamburger meat when prepping a meal, but still, if it’s already cooked and ready to use, then all we have to do at mealtime is add it to the dish we’re making. Somehow, having pre-cooked meat in my fridge takes away a lot of meal-making stress. How?

Well, I often have very little time for cooking. Mealtime comes up quickly (and many times each day, for our entire lives, oy!). But if I am able to pull out meat that’s already browned, that means I don’t have to worry about thawing meat or cooking meat. I simply add it to pasta or potatoes, or we make Tacos or Nachos, or…

My current favorite is this Simple Creamy Pasta in the Instant Pot. Not only is it incredibly delicious and a huge hit with everyone I’ve fed it to, with pre-cooked meat, I can have dinner on the table in only 10 minutes!! That is 10 minutes from start to finish, truly. It is amazing! (While it’s cooking in my Instant Pot, we get out salad fixins, and our meal is complete!)

My Favorite Instant Pot Hamburger Tip

Speaking of the wonders of an Instant Pot, you should definitely click over to read this:

Amazingly, I cook 5-7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in my Instant Pot, and it is browned and ready to use for meals for the next two weeks for my family – just like that! (And yes, we eat a lot of meat. We are a family of many, many athletic men and a beef-lovin’ mama.)

Don’t have an Instant Pot?

But, if you don’t have one and don’t want to invest, you can still easily cook several pounds of hamburger meat in a large pot on the stove. You’ll just need to thaw it first. :)

How to Store Pre-Cooked Hamburger Meat

Once you’ve got several pounds of hamburger meat cooked and cooled, what should you do?

I usually separate mine into meal-sized portions (1-3 pounds) and put it into these bowls with lids. Or if needed, I’ll put portions into ziplock bags.

I store these containers of cooked meat in my fridge for up to two weeks, and then pull them out as needed to prep meals. You can also store it in the freezer, of course. Just remember to thaw ahead of time!

Do you cook meat ahead of time? What are your favorite kitchen time-savers?

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What is it with me and frozen meat? Can I not get my act together and actually thaw the meat before cooking it? No, I cannot. I’ve come to terms with it. My chicken has come to terms with it. Gratefully, my Instant Pot has agreed to my terms. And that, my friends, is why we can cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot in one hour or less! How incredible is it that we can take a frozen solid chicken from the freezer and have a great dinner an hour later!

I’ve been wanting to try this ever since I invested in an Instant Pot. A year and a half later, I finally gave it a go (no time like the present).

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It’s hard to beat homemade broth when it comes to nutrition and flavor. Now that I’ve learned to make broth in the Instant Pot, I’m never going back!

Don’t have an Instant Pot? Here are my stove-top, stock pot instructions for how I make Chicken Broth and Beef Broth. I’ve been making broth that way for years and would continue to do so had I not invested in my beloved Instant Pot.

I had a difficult time believing that making broth in such a short time in the Instant Pot (just a little more than an hour) could turn out the same wonderful product as making broth in my stock pot (for 4-6 hours). But it’s true. Broth made in the Instant Pot is just as fabulous as broth made slowly in a stock pot on the stove!

How to Easily Make Broth in the Instant Pot

Variety of carrots, celery, onions, and leeks per your family's preference. (I usually use 3-4 pounds of veggies per batch of broth.

Sea salt

Water

Instructions

Put chicken or beef bones into your Instant Pot.

Add as many vegetables as you can - carrots, celery, onions, leeks.

Sprinkle sea salt liberally.

Fill pot to the Max-Fill line with water.

Seal Instant Pot, and cook on High Pressure for 55 minutes.

Allow pressure to release naturally for at least 30 minutes.

Release pressure, and strain vegetables and bones out of liquid.

Blend vegetables in a blender until smooth.

Add blended veggies into the liquid broth. This adds more flavor and nourishment!

Re-use bones to make another batch of broth if you like! The second batch of broth isn't as rich, but I like getting a two-for-one!

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When people eat soup I’ve made with this broth, they always ask for my secret. I believe it is the veggies cooked into the broth then blended and added back in. Once I blend the veggies and stir them into the broth, I have a rich, thick, orange broth – much different than store-bought. And so, so much better!

Coming up in my next post, I will remind you of my family’s favorite soup recipes to use with this great broth!

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This Simple Creamy Chicken Soup is the definition of comfort food.

Hmmmm. Actually, the definition of comfort food (I just looked it up) is: food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.

I believe I have just re-defined comfort food. No longer must it be associated with a high sugar or carb content. Certainly not in the case of this Creamy Chicken Soup. We can associate it with home cooking (because we will be at home, cooking it) and it is likely that your children will someday associate it with their childhood.

But there is no pasta or potato involved in the making of this soup to make it high in carbs. Add some if you like. I’m personally in it for the chicken and the cheese. I find it delightfully comforting.

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I have a major confession, and I think you will all be a tiny bit shocked. (No I didn’t start eating margarine. Who do you even think I am?) For years, I deemed this Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe the best in the world. I held to this opinion for years. And now. NOW, I have discovered a recipe that is even better than the best. Allow me to introduce you to the marvelous, wonderful, fabulous 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese!

If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, I feel you, I get you, and I was on your Non-Instant-Pot-Team for many years. Then I finally gave in and allowed this jewel to change my life forever. I truly do love my precious Instant Pot because it saves me so much time and energy in the kitchen. It’s like God knew we all needed Simple Meals and Simple Recipes so on the eighth day He created the Instant Pot. And God said it was good.

What are my favorite foods to make in my Instant Pot? I’m so glad you asked.

For all the Instant Pot owners out there, you’ll be delighted to know that this 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese can actually be ready to serve – from start to finish – in just 10-minutes. This has become a great go-to lunch for my boys at home or a wonderful side dish at dinner after a busy day.

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You guys. This entire, delicious meal takes me only 7 minutes of work to prepare. 7 minutes to make One-Dish Chicken Florentine. Meat, pasta, and veggie all in one dish. With 7 minutes of total prep time. Hoorah!

Now, I can’t say for sure because I don’t know the specific needs of the picky people in your life. But I dare say that even picky people might not mind the spinach in this dish. Why? Because you can’t taste it. It doesn’t really create a weird texture. It really just adds color variety (and hidden nutrients, shh!).

I personally like to serve a tossed salad on the side of this dish, because the more greens, the merrier. But in a pinch, just serve this quick-to-make dish all by itself and you’re golden!

Can we all stand and applaud the fact that we don’t have to precook our chicken or pasta when making this? That’s why it only takes 7 minutes of prep time! Raw chicken, uncooked noodles, dump it all into an Instant Pot or Crock Pot and dinner takes care of itself!

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. (I use kitchen shears for this which makes it super fast!)

Place prepared chicken in the bottom of your Instant Pot or Crock Pot.

Sprinkle with garlic, salt, and spinach leaves.

Break spaghetti noodles in half and place on top.

Pour on chicken broth and cream.

Top with shredded cheese.

Seal Instant Pot and cook on the "Poultry" setting for 15 minutes, doing a quick release after the time runs out.

OR Cook in a Crock Pot on low for 6 hours.

Stir and serve.

Garnish with grated parmesan if you like!

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Don’t have an Instant Pot? I held back for years before jumping on the bandwagon. But now that I have one I LOVE how much time and energy it has saved me in the kitchen. This Chicken Florentine is just another recipe to prove how great my Instant Pot makes my real food kitchen life.

But a Crock Pot works too, and will still allow you to create this recipe with just 7 minutes of effort, so use whatever you have!

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Sometimes a girl thinks she is onto something when she learns to make Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot. Then her friend Leesa is like, “Girl, you have to try it my way instead.” And then you try making Mashed Potatoes Leesa’s way and you fall down dead.

How is it that the best foods we all love can actually taste even better when we tweak a few ingredients and methods? Can it be that these Mashed Potatoes take so little effort to make? And is it actually possible that making Mashed Potatoes in the way I am about to describe actually adds more nutrients to this delicious dish?

Yes. So these potatoes are better tasting AND better for us, all without any extra work. Hoorah!

The BEST Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot

What takes these great Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot from good to BEST? Chicken broth. Indeed, instead of simply cooking our potatoes in water, then draining and adding milk and butter later – we are going to cook the potatoes in chicken broth and milk. No draining needed! The nutrients and flavor absorb into the potatoes, we mash them and add butter and salt, then voila. Amazing Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot!

NOTE: Never fear the fat! These are full of good fats, so let’s emphasize the GOOD in that sentence. Broth, real butter, and whole milk are all good, nourishing foods. Our brains need good fats for good health. So give a cheer for mashed potatoes that taste amazing and offer great nourishment too!

Don’t have an Instant Pot?

Make these in the Crock Pot instead! Cook on low for 8-10 hours or hi for 5 hours. Mash, add butter and salt, and serve!

Wait. You don’t have an Instant Pot?

I was with you for years, putting it off forever, not wanting to jump on the Instant Pot bandwagon. Then so many worked to convince me that I finally jumped. I’ve found that investing in this lovely appliance truly has saved me time and energy in my real food kitchen.

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I just learned to cook spaghetti squash in ten tiny minutes, from start to finish. Unbelievable!

Is it just me, or is it incredibly fun that God created a squash that once cooked, shreds out like noodles? He did all the work. We simply have to cook it. (There is a deep spiritual parallel here we should adopt and live by: God does God’s work. We simply get to be His glorious tools to be a part of His work as we listen and obey Him. I love this.)

So God’s spaghetti squash. It’s always been easy to prepare in the oven, but I just learned how to make it in my Instant Pot. It cooks at high pressure for 5 minutes and just like that, the spaghetti squash is ready to shred and eat!

First, use a sharp knife to cut the spaghetti squash into four rings like this:

Use a spoon to dig out the seeds.

Place the spaghetti squash rings onto the metal trivet inside your Instant Pot. Put 1 cup of water under the trivet.

Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Set it to manual, for 5 minutes at hi pressure.

The cooking process will be barely over this 5 minutes because the Instant Pot won’t come to full pressure or need to release. So in just these few minutes, the squash is cooked and ready!

Warning: Spaghetti Squash doesn’t taste like regular pasta. I consider spaghetti squash to be a pasta replacement, but only as a vehicle to hold my sauce. I LOVE spaghetti squash covered in sauce, and in fact, I love it more than wheat pasta. But it doesn’t taste the same. It tastes like a mild vegetable covered with delicious sauce. Bring it on!

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This Simple Chili Mac is the reason you should make a double batch of chili. Leftover chili (or purchased canned chili) makes this recipe take about 5 minutes to throw together.

Also? How did I ever live without an Instant Pot? I know, I know. So many of you told me I would love it for the amount of time and effort it saves, but I could not handle thinking about learning how to use a new appliance. Good grief. There was nothing to learn. Okay, there was a little bit more than nothing to learn. There was about ten minutes of learning involved.